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Prairie dog Cynomys sp.

Prairie dogs, like many rodents, were long considered to be useless pests, destroying forage and making western ranch land dangerous for livestock. More modern ecological thinking is that they are important part of the North American grassland ecosystem, turning and fertilizing the soil with their extensive burrows. Conflicts over whether prairie dogs should be controlled (with poison and hunting) or protected are current. Supporters of protection point to the black-footed ferret, one of the continent's most endangered mammals, which depends on healthy prairie dog colonies for its survival.

A dozen prairie dogs live on exhibit in the Children's Zoo at Franklin Park Zoo.

(In my icon is another large burrowing North American rodent, the Northeastern marmot or woodchuck--or groundhog, or whistle pig.)

On this day in 365 Urban Species: Mugwort and burdock, a weedy field day for the herbal medicine enthusiasts!

Date: 2007-08-17 01:29 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] xiloxoch.livejournal.com
Prairie dogs are also the number one enemy of paleoseismologists, since their burrows cut through soil layers and jumble up earthquake evidence. Fully half of the conversations I overheard in the trench this summer were about wished-for methods to eliminate the little buggers.

Date: 2007-08-17 01:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] urbpan.livejournal.com
I'm confused? How are the prairie dogs that are there now doing more damage than the prairie dogs that have been there for tens of thousands of years (to use the most conservative estimate)?

Unless this is in one of the places where prairie dogs have newly spread due to human activity maybe?

Date: 2007-08-17 01:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] xiloxoch.livejournal.com
Actually, the problematic burrows were probably formed 500+ years ago. But you're expecting scientists to use logic. :)

Date: 2007-08-17 04:12 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] somniferum.livejournal.com
In colorado we have lots, and lots, and lots of prairie dogs. The population isn't so bad as it was a couple years ago, and the predators are still booming from it. They carry bubonic plague, but for some reason aren't dying back like usual. Too bad the burrowing owl isn't being equally successful...

Date: 2007-08-19 10:16 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bellelvsbeast.livejournal.com
Aw I think Pdogs are SO CUTE...:) Love em...:)
I know people here in CA used to keep them as pets, until some ding dongs let them go and now they are illegal to have here in CA...
I wouldn't keep one as a pet though...

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